The construction of a fish migration river, new forms of energy generation, the most modern construction techniques and innovative inventions such as ‘Levvelblocks’, it all happened during the renovation of the Afsluitdijk. But while hard work is being done on the future, archaeologist Nick Warmerdam is looking for the past during the excavations around the Casemates.
Trenches, machine-gun nests and an old sewage system, archaeologist Nick Warmerdam comes across it all during his archaeological research at Kornwerderzand. In connection with the reinforcement of the dike, a lot of ground has to be excavated at some casemates – concrete scaffolding for firearms.
That is why Warmerdam is working with a team to record very precisely what lies beneath the ground. “This is a party for me, yes,” says Warmerdam. “I actually only research remains from the Second World War, conflict archaeology. But you don’t often see that you can research national monuments.”
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Everything that is found will initially be removed. It will be determined later whether it will also return. A section of trench, for example, is then later placed in the same spot where Warmerdam found it.
“That’s the beauty of this project,” he says. “All of our data goes into the design process to see if they can bring it back. That makes this project the most unique project I’ve ever done.”
The Afsluitdijk in 32 stories
Over the next four years, the Afsluitdijk will undergo a major renovation. The dike will be strengthened and raised to protect the Netherlands against seawater in the future as well. NH Media and Omrop Fryslân, in collaboration with Rijkswaterstaat and De Nieuwe Afsluitdijk, tell the story of this iconic building in 32 reports, equal to the number of kilometers covered by the Afsluitdijk. Through the eyes of the people who deal with the dike every day.
Look at here all stories.
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